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Stem Cell Treatment for Spinal Cord Injuries: The brand new Frontier

Knee Stem Cells - Spinal cord injuries are injuries that occur to any level of the spinal-cord. Although the hard bones from the spinal column protect the soft tissues from the spinal cord, vertebrae can nonetheless be broken or dislocated in a number of ways and cause traumatic trouble for the spinal cord. Spinal cord injuries vary in their severity, but almost inevitably cause various forms of compromised functionality as the spinal cord is in effect the key pathway for information traveling around the human body. Just what body functions are impaired through the injury will depend on the location of the spine that's been damaged and the extent to which the spine has been affected. Although serious impacts such as falls and motor vehicle accidents account for many spinal cord injuries, tumors growing close to the column can also damage sensitive nerve tissue and possess the same effects.

Knee Stem Cell Injections - For years scientists have been attempting to try and find a way to remedy the different ailments that vertebrae injuries can bring, though limited success. However, in recent years a pioneering new technology has emerged that is helping many people around the world regain part, it not exclusively, of their previously lost mobility. That treatment is the use of stem cells.

What are Stem Cells and Stem Cell Treatments?

Knee Stem Cell Injections - Stem cells are located in all multi cellular organisms and so are characterized by their ability to distinguish into a diverse range of specialized cells when they divide and renew themselves. They're remarkable for their ability to regenerate themselves into almost any other human cell. Their use in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, from Leukemia to Ms, is now becoming more common. Based on the condition, stem cells can be transplanted into the patient to assist renew and regenerate previously damaged cells, giving patients renewed hope when, before, no reliable treatment existed.

This principle is currently being applied to the management of spinal cord injuries using stem cells, and in instances where the patient has not experienced a complete vertebrae injury, i.e. an entire severing of the vertebrae leading to a loss of function beneath the 'neurological' level. There has been good success in helping patients recover greater sensory and physiological ability.

Spinal-cord Injury: How Stem Cell Treatment Works

If you find trauma to the spinal-cord, myelopathy (damage to the fibres that carry messages back and forth from the brain) has occurred. These 'myelinated fibre tracts' would be the focus of stem cell treatment, and so are the nerve cells how the treatment helps to regenerate. The procedure usually follows three phases in most cases requires no longer than a period of around five weeks in health care for monitoring:

Phase one necessitates the harvesting of stem cells. Cells are extracted from a fetus's umbilical cord. They may be then put through a process whereby they are isolated and purified before they are finally cultured being suitable for clinical use.

Phase two is the transplantation of the stem cells. This is accomplished in one of three ways:

1) Lumbar puncture - a process used where stem cells can be injected directly into the backbone.

2) Intravenous injection- stem cells are injected in to the patient's vein.

3) Tissue injection - direct injection into target tissues.

Phase three involves the monitoring of the patient to ensure there are no adverse negative effects. The only side effects reported thus far were caused by the lumbar puncture, and never the stem cell treatment itself, with only 15% of patients reporting mild headaches. At that time under medical supervision, patients undergo various physiotherapy activities along with other treatments as necessary.

Stem Cell Research and Treatment in China

China is quickly becoming a world leader in stem cell research, and is also now a major centre for your stem cell management of many diseases and types of conditions. The Chinese government has poured millions of dollars into research on regenerative medicine, which investment has really borne fruit within the last few years. As a result of this expanded investment, Chinese contributions to scientific journals on regenerative medicine topics leapt from 37 in year 2000 to 1,116 in 2008, exceeded only by the contributions of experts in the united states, Germany, Japan and also the UK.

The government in addition has aggressively recruited high-caliber scientists trained abroad looking for its ambition to become world leader in the field. Indeed, the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health commented that, "the government's policy of attracting highly educated Chinese nationals returning to China has contributed significantly to the country's success in the field." The authors were "amazed that the majority the top Chinese researchers in the regenerative medicine field have been educated in the US and also the UK and gained extensive practical knowledge there in innovative research."

Although before treatment in China may have been considered risky due to lax health and safety laws, the past few years have seen an increase in legislation protecting the patient, and improving the functionality of clinics. Since 2009, evidence of safety and efficacy through clinical trials is required by China's Secretary of state for Health for all stem cell and gene therapies, making sure Chinese clinics meet international standards in their qualifications and methodology. By January 2010, about 1,500 patients had received botox cosmetic injections for spinal cord injury at one Beijing clinic alone, including roughly 1,000 foreigners.

Furthermore, China has long held a place at the forefront of stem cell research to take care of all manner of conditions. A number of China's notable contributions to stem cell research are:

By transferring the nucleus of a human skin cell into the immature ovum cell of a rabbit, researchers from your Shanghai hospital successfully produced embryonic human cells.
China to date has created at least 25 human embryonic stem cell lines (some estimate over 70 stem cell lines), four which are of a specialized type that in those days only two other groups worldwide had was able to create.
Harboured several human tissue types, created artificially, including blood vessel, tendon, bone, cartilage, skin, cornea and muscle fibre.
Furthermore, Chinese researchers are involved with a myriad of projects to assist aid patients through regenerative medicine and stem cell therapy. Below are several projects underway within Chinese institutions:

ChinaSCINet, a consortium of 27 medical facilities, are starting phase 2 numerous studies to test the efficacy and safety of using cord blood stem cells and oral lithium to treat about 40 patients with spinal-cord injuries.
Clinical trials are underway about the use of stem cell therapies to take care of patients of cardiac arrest, artery obstruction, and liver and neural diseases.
Research is underway on the potential usage of stem cells to treat heart, liver and blood diseases, eye cataracts, also to combat aging.
Success Stories from the Treatment of Vertebrae Injuries in China

Many people of all ages and with varying examples of injury have received stem cell treatment in China throughout the last few years. It is important to remember that not every patient will react as well as others, and that the age of the sufferer and the severity of damages greatly affect the chances of recovery. However, there were many success stories from both Chinese citizens and foreigners.

Before her treatment began in January 2006, Ms. Pai, 38, from Shenyang couldn't move her body below the injury site, and was unable to control her bowel motions. Within 8 months from the treatment she regained movement in both her legs, could bend her knees (although the toes of one foot were still paralyzed) and was even able to walk with crutches.

Razvan Iordache, a Romanian citizen aged 30, travelled to China for many bouts of stem cell treatment following a major accident while diving in to a river that left him paralyzed from the neck down. Following his treatments, Razan reported in 2008 that not only could he moved to his arms almost normally, and could feel pain in several of his fingers, he could "even feel warm and cold" sensations. He proceeded to add the following: "Now I'm able to control my urine for 10 minutes and the sensation both for urine and stool is way better. Generally, my entire body is more powerful than ever before."

Donald Maricelli, a 54 years old US citizen, suffered a spinal cord injury carrying out a fall in 2002. He underwent surgery to correct his lack of sensation in his lower body, however there were complications and Donald remained in a worse state than ever before. Before arriving for treatment in China, he had been unable to walk unaided. Following the treatment, which commenced in November 2007, Donald makes significant improvements. He regained sensation throughout most of his abdomen, as well as the sensation in his legs also improved. Particularly important, the sensation on the bottom of his feet came back, helping him just to walk without tripping. Most significant to Donald was he regained control and strength in the left leg, allowing him simply to walk significant distances and indicate prolonged periods of time.

There are many more success stories from patients that have received this pioneering treatment to aid correct varying examples of spinal cord injury. However, it is usually important to remember that not all patients recover the identical functions in the same time period. A lot of hard work goes into the post treatment rehabilitation, and it takes great drive, determination and ambition to allow the body to get back to more regular functionality. However, the job being done by scientists and clinics in China has shown time and again that stem cells hold a critical key to the future of helping people with spinal cord injuries recover their lost functions. Every month, more and more people are visiting various cities around the country that offer different packages of treatment according to precisely what injury has been inflicted. The level of service has improved greatly lately, and continues to improve each month, meaning that those unfortunate enough to have suffered spinal cord injuries need no longer feel theirs is really a lost cause. There exists a very real chance that the standard of living of any patient can be improved with little pain, little hospital time, plus a little motivation. The current evidence shows that stem cell therapy for spinal-cord injuries is the way forward.